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Pep and Arteta are old pals | Getty Images
Pep Guardiola had his Man City tactics questioned against Arsenal with one Etihad star hoping he doesn’t see them again.
Despite the drama and analysis, Manchester City are only three points off the top of the Premier League table with a lot of football still to be played.
Arsenal have added depth to their already well organised squad with Liverpool not yet hitting the heights that their summer spend predicted or expected them to hit. With the second-best goal difference in the league, City are starting to look like the sort of team that is going to be in it for the long haul, despite initial suggestions that Pep Guardiola was struggling to get the best out of a squad that has seen a lot of investment in 2025.
Pep Guardiola’s surprise Man City tactics
One performance that raised a few eyebrows was the 1-1 draw with Arsenal where a 93rd minute equaliser saw the home side nick a point. It wasn’t the result that saw questions asked though. With just 33% possession and a change of tactics, Guardiola went against everything he has stood for throughout his career by implementing the sort of low block that Sean Dyche would be proud of after an early Erling Haaland goal. Another couple of minutes and his decision would have been entirely justified.
What it did show was that Pep is willing to adapt when the situation fits knowing that a draw at the Emirates is a good result and that it could be the difference at the end of the season. With Chelsea strengthening too, it looks like it could be the sort of campaign when a low scoring total is enough to win the league and that a runaway winner is unlikely.
John Stones doesn’t want to see Arsenal tactics again
One player who wasn’t happy with the plan B tactics was John Stones who, speaking to Henry Winter on Talksport, suggested that it might not be something that City implement again any time soon. When asked if it was a pre-rehearsed decision, the England international said: “Yeah, no, it wasn't planned for us to do that. I think when you're in a game and you get in different scenarios and have a feeling of, I don't know, pressure, or there's just a sense within the game that you have to just do that. And yeah, the guys took initiative and did it.
“And I think that's why it's caused such a stir and become such a big talking point. No, it wasn't planned. And I think it's definitely not in our DNA as a team to go out and do that.
“We don't want to, I believe it's not the right way to kind of go out and win a football match by sitting on the edge of your box. I've played against it enough to know how frustrating it is and how difficult it is to soak up all that pressure for a long period of the game. We got a result out of it and I think next time we definitely have to go there and play our game.”
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